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3 Skin Care Mistakes Our Experts Regret the Most

News flash: Nobody’s perfect. Especially when it comes to their skin. Think dermatologists are the exception to the rule. Think again. Turns out even the experts are guilty of a few skin care sins.

From tweezing ingrown hairs to popping pimples to faux bronzing in tanning beds (tisk tisk), there are plenty of cringe-worthy skin care mistakes to go around. And though it may be hard to believe, even some of the top skin care professionals have committed a skin care sin from time-to-time— after all, they’re only human. To get the inside scoop on what mistakes experts are— regretfully— guilty of committing, we turned to two of Skincare.com’s consulting board-certified dermatologists. See what they had to say, below.

PIMPLE POPPER

If we are being honest, at one point or another we have all found ourselves standing centimeters away from the mirror, pincher fingers out (or worse: tweezers), trying desperately to get rid of a pimple. And although dermatologists will tell you that, unless you want acne scars, you should never— we repeat: never— pop or pick at your pimples, we still do it. Board-certified dermatologist and Skincare.com consultant, Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali can relate. “I popped a pimple when I was 15 and still have the scar on the left part of nose,” says the— now wiser and more experienced— dermatologist. While his story should be a lesson for all of us, if you have found yourself on the dark side,we’ve got you (and your pimple) covered with our skin picking survival guide, here.

SUNSCREEN SKIPPER

We all know how vital regular sunscreen application is. From summer to winter, we should wear and reapply every day… no matter what our skin tone or weather may be. Unfortunately for Dr. Bhanusali, he learned this the hard way. “I wish I started wearing sunscreen earlier,” he says. “I mistakenly thought— pre med school— that people with darker skin tones cannot get sunburns or skin cancer, but I’ve unfortunately seen both with my patients all too often.” Believing that dark skin tones aren’t susceptible to sunburns or skin cancer isn’t the only false belief circling around the universe— we debunk five common sunscreen myths, here.

ACNE ADVERSITY

Your teenage years can be a rough time. Throw acne into the mix and you’ll likely never want to relive that period of your life. At least that was the case for board-certified dermatologist and Skincare.com consultant, Dr. Michael Kaminer who didn’t have access to some of the acne-fighting skin care products and treatments we have today. “I had acne before there were good treatments and it was awful,” Kaminer says. “Socially, it was really frustrating but— thankfully— I somehow avoided getting any scars.” The upside? His experience with acne is what inspired him to become a dermatologist and focus his early career research on acne and acne scars. “I have a very soft spot for anyone who suffers from acne and resultant scars.”

From DIY to luxe, Jessie has a deep passion for skin care and beauty—and as a L’Oréal employee, she is able to share that passion with readers. Before joining the Skincare.com team, Jessie studied fashion and wrote for NYLON Magazine. Her background in fashion has taught her that beautiful skin never goes out of style.